ABS-CBN denies applying for broadcast franchise anew

The company has once again quashed the rumors.

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stocke Exchange (PSE) on Tuesday, February 27, ABS-CBN Corporation (ABS) once again clarified news reports regarding the company’s alleged plans to return to the free-to-air broadcasting business.

As per new article from The Daily Tribune, it said that “ABS-CBN will get back all its assets which may mean that the Lopezes are confident of retaking their erstwhile jewel, possible with a new franchise.”

In response, the Kapamilya network said: “ABS-CBN Corporation disposed of assets that the company no longer needed to various broadcasting networks after we ceased operations as a broadcasting company.”

“It is not true that ABS-CBN is applying for a new franchise nor does it intend to buy back any of the assets it sold,” the former leading television network added.

POST-SHUTDOWN

ABS-CBN, originally formed as the Bolinao Electronics Corporation, and later as Alto Broadcasting System in 1953, was the Philippines’ oldest and largest television network prior to its second network shutdown almost four years ago.

That year, ABS-CBN’s 25-year legislative franchise to operate its vast TV and radio network in the Philippines lapsed, leading to the cease-and-desist order from the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) on May 5, 2020.

In July 2020, the House of Representatives denied the franchise renewal bid of ABS-CBN, which resulted a massive retrenchment within the company — slashing its then-11,000 pax workforce to half.

Since then, the corporation transitioned into a “storytelling company,” and pivoted primarily to producing television and digital programs for various platfotms and TV channels.

In October 2020, they signed a block time deal with Zoe Broadcasting Network to form A2Z.

Three months later, in January 2021 they inked a collaboration deal with TV5, leading to the inclusion of several weekend and weeknight primetime teleseryes to the Kapatid network’s programming line-up.

Speaking of TV5, ABS-CBN came close to returning to free TV when it attempted to acquire a 35% stake in the Manny Pangilinan-owned station in 2022.

But the deal fizzled out “due to the political climate.”

Nonetheless, ABS continued with its aggressive push as a content creation company, forging partnerships with streamers like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Viu, among others.

ABS-CBN has also been in contact with former chief rival GMA Network, which began when they signed together for the co-production of ‘Unbreak My Heart’ in January 2023.

This relationship was further extended with the addition of noontime show ‘It’s Showtime’ to the secondary Kapuso channel GTV in July 2023.

ALLTV

Meanwhile, its former main television frequency, VHF channel 2 in Mega Manila, was awarded by the NTC to Manny Villar’s Advanced Media Broadcasting System (AMBS) two years ago.

At present, AMBS uses the channel to air ALLTV and even acquired some past ABS-CBN dramas to reair on the said station.

Due to massive financial losses, ALLTV ceased the production of its handful original shows in March 2023, and has since pivoted generally into a movie and archived programming channel.

At present, only its weekday news bulletin ‘ALLTV News’ is the fresh original content aired by the Villar-owned TV station.

The lack of original productions led to the rumors of ABS-CBN and AMBS engaging in talks for the former to acquire blocks in the latter’s TV network — which ABS-CBN has neither confirmed, nor denied.

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